Trinidad Guardian, July 3, 2011

Basia Foundation founders Ricardo Powell and his wife Alicia John-Powell flank former Miss Universe Wendy Fitzwilliam, centre, at last Sunday’s Basia for Life fund-raising concert. Photo: ABRAHAM DIAZ

Forgive me if I come across as being flippant but after last Sunday I was left with the impression that only beautiful, fashionable women get cancer. The second annual Beat Breast Cancer Music Festival, held at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, was festooned with gorgeous women, many of them cancer survivors. Organised almost single-handedly by Basia Foundation director Alicia John-Powell and her husband, former West Indies batsman Ricardo Powell, the fund-raiser was one of the best concerts I have attended in quite some time.

While each act was at the top of its game I must single out the performance by husband-and-wife team of Bunji Garlin and Fay Ann Lyons, and their band Asylum, which now includes former Atlantik virtuoso guitarist Erico Camejo. I must commend Fay Ann for maturing into, not just a very good singer and recording artiste, a well-polished and charismatic stage performer. After a couple numbers from her husband, Fay Ann emerged on stage, elegantly attired, and simply took over, having every patron literally eating out of her hands. From its flawless sound system to its beautiful decor, the concert was simply a top-drawer effort, featuring some of the best artistes in the land, including Machel Montano, Bunji Garlin, 3Canal, Ravi B, Shurwayne Winchester, Swappi, Maxi Priest and St Vincent’s Kevin Lyttle.

A plethora of distinguished people from around the region was in attendance and I did see US Ambassador Beatrice Welters, US Embassy legal adviser Debra Coryat Patton, Junior Gong’s mother Cindy Breakespeare, former Police Commissioner Everald Snaggs, designer Claudia Pegus, Dane Darbassie of Wendy’s, fashion expert Pat Garcia and entertainer Marcia Miranda. During the evening I asked John-Powell how she managed to pull together such an ambitious project and she was effusive in her gratitude and appreciation of corporate citizens, like First Citizens, Guardian Holdings, bMobile, Toyota, Courts, Scaffolding Experts Ltd, Party Land, and Citadel Ltd. She also singled out individuals like Sharon Christopher and Dexter Charles (First Citizens); Lisa Agard (bMobile); Caira Cudjoe (Guardian Holdings); Marisha Narinesingh (Party Land); Laura Lalo, daughter of the late DJ Lalo, and Shival Maharaj (sound); and Amar Chan (Scaffolding Experts Ltd). John-Powell added that family and friends also threw their weight behind her and her husband to make the project a success.